Development of the Focal Point Power Trough (FPPT) & PT-2 Advanced Concentrators for Power Generation Patrick Marcotte, IST SOLUCAR DOE Solar Energy Technologies Program Peer Review Denver, Colorado April 17-19, 2007
Contract Info Development and Testing of a Power Trough System Using a Structurally-Efficient, High-Performance, Large-Aperture Concentrator With Thin Glass Reflector and Focal Point Rotation Midwest Research Institute National Renewable Energy Laboratory Division Subcontract NAT-5-44440-02 E. Kenneth May, Principal Investigator industrialsolar@qwest.net
DOE SETP M-Y Plan Goals (CSP): Achieve a design point solar-to-electric efficiency of 25.6% and annual solar-to-electric efficiency of 15.5% Use an advanced thermocline thermal storage system that provides up to 6 hours of storage (capacity factor of ~0.43) and cost ~$20/kWh Have an installed system cost of $4100/kW (including the cost of thermal storage and oversized solar field) and an O&M cost of $0.016/kWh, resulting in an LCOE of $0.089/kWh Desired Solar Field Characteristics Increased solar field operating temperatures Use of molten salt HTF or Direct Steam Generation (DSG) Reduced up-front and plant O&M costs
DOE SETP M-Y Plan Goals (CSP): Achieve a design point solar-to-electric efficiency of 25.6% and annual solar-to-electric efficiency of 15.5% Use an advanced thermocline thermal storage system that provides up to 6 hours of storage (capacity factor of ~0.43) and cost ~$20/kWh Have an installed system cost of $4100/kW (including the cost of thermal storage and oversized solar field) and an O&M cost of $0.016/kWh, resulting in an LCOE of $0.089/kWh Desired Field Characteristics Increased solar field operating temperatures Use of molten salt HTF or Direct Steam Generation (DSG) Reduced up-front costs and plant O&M costs
DOE SETP M-Y Plan Goals (CSP): Achieve a design point solar-to-electric efficiency of 25.6% and annual solar-to-electric efficiency of 15.5% Use an advanced thermocline thermal storage system that provides up to 6 hours of storage (capacity factor of ~0.43) and cost ~$20/kWh Have an installed system cost of $4100/kW (including the cost of thermal storage and oversized solar field) and an O&M cost of $0.016/kWh, resulting in an LCOE of $0.089/kWh Desired Field Characteristics Increased solar field operating temperatures Use of molten salt HTF or Direct Steam Generation (DSG) Reduced up-front costs and plant O&M costs
DOE SETP M-Y Plan Goals (CSP): Achieve a design point solar-to-electric efficiency of 25.6% and annual solar-to-electric efficiency of 15.5% Use an advanced thermocline thermal storage system that provides up to 6 hours of storage (capacity factor of ~0.43) and cost ~$20/kWh Have an installed system cost of $4100/kW (including the cost of thermal storage and oversized solar field) and an O&M cost of $0.016/kWh, resulting in an LCOE of $0.089/kWh Desired Field Characteristics Increased solar field operating temperatures Use of molten salt HTF or Direct Steam Generation (DSG) Reduced up-front costs and plant O&M costs
Technical Focus: Scale-up of PT-1 concentrator Unique design creates lightweight integrated structural reflector from metal sheet (PT-1: 9.6 kg/m2 aperture) Advantages Low material content (= low cost) No material supply constraints Versatile geometry No mirror alignment Flexible reflector options - Thin glass - Front surface film - Silvered / polished aluminum - Silvered polymer film
Technical Approach: Design Options Quantify tradeoffs, collect cost data, identify best candidate for deployment Fixed receiver supported from within concentrator, expands axially Short, largediameter flexible hose FPPT: Advanced Trough (fixed receiver, >500 C operation) Simplified connection from receiver -> header (no balljoints) Complex, high-temperature bearings at receiver support and pylons (may delay deployment) Potential long term cost & performance advantages Eliminate balljoints, better-adapted to high-temperature HTF
Technical Approach: Design Options Quantify tradeoffs, collect cost data, identify best candidate for deployment PT-2: Conventional Trough (moving receiver, balljoints) Direct scale-up of current product (4x aperture area) Low-cost alternative to current LS-2-based designs No technological barriers
Technical Approach: Analysis Understanding IST structure Front lattice stabilizes parabolic sheet to make torque tube Analytical modeling based in shell buckling theory FEA analysis of structural lattice and shear/compression in sheet Goal: Develop a model to predict structural performance well enough to design and test prototypes
Technical Approach: Analysis Wind Analysis Analyze Cermak Peterka Peterson (NREL / Solargenix) wind tunnel test data Develop design criteria based on building codes Estimate loads under operating (40mph) and survival (96mph) winds Lift, drag, beam, and torsion loads under multiple orientations Torsion under survival wind is governing design condition
Technical Approach: Validation Real-World Verification Phase I: Validation of model ¼-scale trough (PT-1) VSHOT of PT-1 to quantify optical performance Structural testing of PT-1, comparison with model Design and predict performance of full-scale trough Phase II: Prototype and test full-scale prototypes Structural testing of PT-2 and FPPT, compare with predictions VSHOT test to measure optical performance SOLUCAR
Technical Approach: Validation Validation of Structural Modeling Technique for PT-1 Create torsion with force at corner of module, restraining center Simulation of field configuration, experienced high wind failures Compare to historical designs & baseline established for this project Analysis resulted in 70% gains in PT-1 strength ( Upgraded Steel ) Close agreement between analytical/fea model and test results Deviation from model at end of load range due to change in shape of prototype (can be corrected w/ accurate rod tensioning, Phase II)
Technical Approach: Manufacturing & Cost Analysis Design for Manufacture & Assembly (DFMA) effort integrated into design tasks Cost data is being collected, tabulated Phase II will produce estimated costs of all components for both PT-2 and FPPT concentrator systems Cost data will provide valuable tool for comparison and decision-making LEC impact of both concentrators can be derived at end of Phase II
Phase I Tasks Analyze wind forces on trough collectors VSHOT optical & structural testing of PT-1 Modeling and analysis of FPPT concentrator Preliminary design of FPPT mechanical & control systems Phase II Tasks (ongoing) Design of PT-2 Build and test PT-2, FPPT (structural and VSHOT optical) Refine FPPT mechanical systems Cost analysis and comparison (PT-2 vs. FPPT) SOLUCAR
Major Accomplishments Validated structural design tool using PT-1 Demonstrated improved strength (70%) and optical performance (22%) in PT-1 based on VSHOT & structural analysis Demonstrated potential of PT-2, FPPT to reduce material content 30%-50% over competing designs
Major Accomplishments Validated structural design tool using PT-1 Demonstrated increased strength (70%) and optical performance (22%) in PT-1 based on VSHOT & structural analysis Demonstrated potential of PT-2, FPPT to reduce material content 30%-50% over competing designs RMS Slope Error (mrad) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0. Baseline Glass Upgraded Profile #1 Profile #2 Profile #3 Profile #4 Profile #5 Profile #6 Profile #7 Profile #8 Profile #9 Profile #10 Average
Major Accomplishments Validated structural design tool using PT-1 Demonstrated increased strength (70%) and optical performance (22%) in PT-1 based on VSHOT & structural analysis Demonstrated potential of PT-2, FPPT to reduce material content 30%-50% over competing designs FPPT PT-2
Bottom Line IST Solucar can produce lightweight, accurate collectors FPPT predicted optical intercept 98% Material content ~16kg/m2 No field focusing, no supply constraints Adaptable technology Scale-up / change geometry (difficult w/ sagged glass) Amenable to multiple reflector technologies Lower-cost solar fields, higher field efficiency Successful completion of Phase II will accelerate achievement of DOE cost and performance goals
Project Milestones Phase I (May 05 June 06) Testing of Baseline and Upgraded PT-1 (Sept 05-Feb 06) Preliminary Design Design of FPPT Concentrator (Feb 06) Development of Mechanical Systems for FPPT (April 06) Phase I Final Report (June 06) Phase II (Oct 06 Oct 07) Completion of PT-2 Design (Jan 07) Testing of Prototypes (June 07) Prototype Mechanical Systems (Aug 07) Cost & Manufacturing Analysis (Sept 07) Full Report for NREL (Oct 07)
Future Directions Analysis deployment candidates Deploy test row at SEGS or other location Deploy advanced trough for laboratory research with Molten Salt or DSG Research thin glass and front surface reflectors Additional scale-up (6m+) End Goal Deploy new trough for pilot-scale commercial plants in 2008
Acknowledgements We would like to gratefully acknowledge the Department of Energy and Midwest Research Institute NREL for their technical and financial contributions to this project